1. Technical Field
The technical filed of this disclosure relates to: an information protection system for a mobile terminal device having, thereon, an information protection process function in order to enhance the security of information in the mobile terminal device when it is stolen or lost, the mobile terminal device being a data process terminal device including a communication means (e.g., PHS (Personal Handyphone System; i.e., cellular mobile phone developed in Japan) and a mobile telephone device); an information protection method for the terminal mobile device; a control program having each process procedure written thereon for causing a computer to execute the method; a computer-readable medium having the control program written thereon; and an electric information device capable of executing the method by reading the control program from the computer-readable medium.
2. Description of the Related Art
At present, a mobile terminal device (e.g., mobile telephone device) is brought outside for use in an unspecified wide area due to its feature (size). A mobile terminal device (e.g., PHS or data process terminal device), which is registered to a communication line, has been widely used as a computer peripheral terminal device used for a digital signal information and at the same time, the area in which it is brought out for use has begun widening. Furthermore, a method to use the mobile terminal device is easy and is demanded by numerous people. Still further, because of the multi-functionality of recent mobile terminal devices, memory with a large capacity and camera-function are mounted thereon. Thus, owners thereof can register information of numerous people in a telephone book and hold a large amount of e-mails, camera data and the like.
However, as described above, since the owner of the conventional mobile terminal device can bring the mobile terminal device outside and easily carry it for use, there are many possibilities that the mobile terminal device is stolen or lost. When the stolen or lost mobile terminal device is picked up by a third person, there is a possibility that the mobile terminal device will be easily used by the third person. Thus, a problem occurs that the owner of the mobile terminal device will incur damages, for example, valuable personal information (e.g., telephone book, e-mail and camera data), a variety of information, important data and the like are looked at without consent.
Therefore, the consciousness level on the security for mobile terminal device on the owner's side has been increasing. Thus, an information protection system for the mobile terminal device is needed. In order to solve such a problem when the mobile terminal device is stolen or lost, a variety of information protection methods for the mobile terminal device have been proposed in the past.
For example, all the pre-designated models of a mobile terminal device have a remote lock function mounted thereon, which is as disclosed in Reference 1. The remote lock function has a mechanism that sends a ring signal to a lost mobile terminal device using a telephone number which has been previously registered to pre-designated mobile terminal device for information protection and performs the information protection for the mobile terminal device by performing a predetermined number of sending.
FIG. 9 is a flowchart for explaining a process procedure for the remote lock function in Reference 1. In FIG. 9, a case in which the pre-designated number of times of ring signals is three will be described
As shown in FIG. 9, a ring signal is sent to a lost mobile terminal device side based on a telephone number which has been previously registered to a pre-designated mobile terminal device. In step S91, the number of first-time received ring signals is counted. In step S92, it is determined whether the number of the count is identified as the number of previously set first-time ring signals. In step S92, when it is determined as “NO”, the process returns to step S91, and on the other hand, when it is determined as “YES”, the process proceeds to the next step S93.
In step S93, the number of second-time received ring signals is counted. In step S94, it is determined whether the number of the count is identified as the number of previously set second-time ring signals. In step S94, when it is determined as “NO”, the process returns to step S91, and on the other hand, when it is determined as “YES”, the process proceeds to the next step S95.
In step S95, the number of third-time received ring signals is counted. In step S96, it is determined whether the number of the count is identified as the number of previously set third-time ring signals. In step S96, when it is determined as “NO”, the process returns to step S91, and on the other hand, when it is determined as “YES”, the process proceeds to the next step S97.
In step S97, an information protection system is initiated. In step S98, an information protection process is performed by the information protection system.
According to this conventional technique, when a stolen or lost mobile terminal device receives a pattern of the number of ring signals which has been previously input and accumulated and stored in a storage means, a predetermined information protection process is performed, thereby eliminating the possibility that the owner of the stolen or mobile terminal device will incur damages, for example, an individual information or other important data will be looked at without consent. However, when the person, which has picked up the stolen or lost mobile terminal device, responses with a pattern of the number of the ring signals previously set, or when a situation is occurring, in which it is impossible to communicate with the stolen or lost mobile terminal device at the time when the ring signals are sent thereto, the predetermined information protection process cannot be performed. In order to solve this problem, for example, Reference 2 discloses a “protection system for a mobile-type electronic device”.
Reference 2 discloses an information protection system capable of protecting information in a stolen or lost mobile terminal device in a manner such that the owner of the stolen or lost mobile terminal device sends a keyword data or a remote operation data to the stolen or lost mobile terminal device by directly using a communication means (e.g., public telephone device or mobile telephone device).
FIG. 10 is a flowchart for explaining the process procedure by a protection system for a mobile terminal device in Reference 2.
As shown in FIG. 10, in step S101, the owner of the mobile terminal device inputs a remote operation data in order to start the communication with the mobile terminal device belonging to the owner by using such as a personal computer or a push-button telephone. In this case, the owner of the mobile terminal device selects the contents of the remote operation data depending on the importance of the information stored in the mobile terminal device and sends it. The contents of the remote operation data indicate the contents of the information protection. As selectable items, for example, prohibition of outputting a stored data, transfer of the stored data and deletion of the stored data are shown. A keyword data is input in the remote operation data in order to perform an information protection that is only known by the owner of the mobile terminal device.
In step S102, the input remote operation data is transferred to a base station of the mobile terminal device via a public or dedicated line network. In step S103, the input remote operation data is transmitted to the lost mobile terminal device via wireless communication from the base station of the mobile terminal device.
When the lost mobile terminal device receives the remote operation data in step S104, it is matched and identified whether the keyword data in the remote operation data is a keyword data which has been previously stored in a storage means by the owner of the stolen mobile terminal device in step S105. When the keyword data does not match each other (NO) in step S105, the lost mobile terminal device waits to receive subsequent data in step S104, ends the information protection process system and returns to a normal mode. When the keyword data matches each other (YES) in step S105, the information protection process system is initiated in step S106, a protection function of the mobile terminal device is activated.
The lost mobile terminal device identifies whether the received remote operation data is a predetermined remote operation data in step S107. When the received remote operation data is not the predetermined remote operation data (NO) in step S107, the lost mobile terminal device waits to receive subsequent data in step S104, ends the information protection process system and returns to the normal mode. When the received remote operation data is the predetermined remote operation data (YES) in step S107, the information protection process is performed in accordance with the contents of the remote operation data in step S108.
According to this conventional technique, the owner himself/herself operates a predetermined information protection means for eliminating the possibility that the owner of the mobile terminal device will incur any damages, by performing a remote operation for an accidental theft or loss of the mobile terminal device, thereby enhancing the security of owner's property or information of the stolen mobile terminal device. As a result, it is possible to easily protect the data in the mobile terminal device. Furthermore, it is possible to avoid a problem of paying the usage charge of the lost mobile terminal device even when any person other than the owner uses the lost mobile terminal device without consent of the owner.
[Reference 1] http:///www.docomokyushu.co.jp/info/weekly/wd—041006—5.html (as of Jan. 6, 2005)
[Reference 2] Japanese Laid-Open Publication No. 10-177525